Freefall
by Rammione
Summary: A young freelancer decides to live in the city where a rumored hero makes his debut after the disappearance of the Iron Fist champion, Robert Richards. Is she a friend or a foe? Will she regain what both of them lost, or die trying? A story about Slim Bob and my OC, Eire Shreve. AU.
1. Chapter 1: Eire Shreve

_My name is Eire, pronounced as 'ayr'. Most people get it wrong on the first try. I don't know much about myself. But there's one thing I know, and I know it for sure._

_I'm not your average freelancer._

**Chapter 1: Éire Shreve**

It was a busy day in the big city: the streets were bustling with people hurrying to and fro, vendors trying to sell their wares, and simple passersby intending to grab a snack or a whiff of air. The city was obviously polluted, bursting with activity more than a factory on rush hour. It was not the ideal place for escaping the idleness of the countryside, and that's where Eire was heading.

Dressed in a red jacket, white shirt and blue shorts- she immediately blended with the crowd. She's not particularly dressed for travel; she headed straight to the place with no particular address in mind. She lived miles away from there; the only memory was from a glimpse of it on a battered newspaper in the bin. Probably a stranger had dropped it off there, a trash meant to be taken by the garbage truck at noon. The truck didn't appear that day, and it was luck that brought Eire to that particular trash bin. It only took a few seconds for her to make up her mind: she's going to venture on her own.

Working as a freelancer, the young teenager has high hopes for the future. Her father was a journalist, and every day she was exposed to the sight and smell of hard work. It was a nice picture, except it her mother was missing from the picture. She died when Eire was twelve, and her father had been different ever since.

Her father always has a cup of Folger's near him, and once argued that it was necessary for his job. That brushed off on her, and now she had taken up the habit herself. She packed a few sachets on her backpack, along with a few necessities that might be useful along the way. She left without even bothering to write a letter, knowing her father wouldn't read it anyway. After tying her shoelaces, she locked the door and left.

Although a bit unusual, the city was a normal sight for her. They lived for a few years in a place like this, before they had to move. _Before mother died, _she bitterly thought.

Extremely exhausted from walking, she sat down beside a huge tree. Children were gathered around an ice cream vendor, whom she thought weary like she was. _Ice cream_. She hadn't eaten that stuff in years. She was thinking of buying a cone when she heard a piercing scream.

"Trouble," she said, as her lips formed a subtle smile.


	2. Chapter 2: Chance Encounter

**Chapter 2: Chance Encounter**

Curious to what was happening; she dashed to the direction of the voice. With her red jacket flapping wildly, she dodged the stream of people coming from both sides. Being a journalist's daughter has its own advantages- the natural curiosity inherited from her father, and the agility acquired from many years of running alongside the mob. She easily passed by the crowd rushing to view a crime in action.

She was about to interfere when she was stopped by the sight of a man in overly huge tights. She found herself watching him as he beat up the criminals: their unconscious bodies piling up in heap. Finally, she saw the woman thank him for his act of kindness.

The people around them clapped and cheered for the hero. However, they dispersed as soon as the commotion was over. She looked around. There was no police in sight, and the man was left fumbling with his pants.

"Er, mister, I-"

No reply.

"I saw you save that woman. Are you alright?"

Without looking at her, he mumbled "Yeah. I'm fine. Just doing my job."

Those tights were obviously not his size, but it fitted him in an odd way, she observed.

"Do you need any help?"

"No," was the immediate reply.

_He was still fumbling with his pants though,_ she spotted a leather belt lying on the ground and gave it to him. He didn't seem to understand what she was doing.

"Take it. I figured you can use this," she pointed to his pants, "for that."

With his right hand still clutching his pants, he grabbed the belt and immediately placed it on his waist. After a few seconds, the pants were still loose, but at least they were in place.

He looked at her and smiled, "Maybe I do need a bit of help. Thanks-" He was looking at her as if searching for something else to say. She offered her hand and said, "Eire. My name's Eire Shreve."

He took it. "Thanks Eire. I really appreciate what you did for me today. Maybe some other time, we can continue this chat." He immediately went for the turn.

"Wait! I haven't got your name yet. What do I call you-"

He gave her a thumbs-up. "Just call me Bob."

o-o

___Tahaa. Two chapters finished. Still revising the next one. I'll try my best to update weekly. ;)_

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the Tekken characters, just my OC Eire. It's not entirely AU so some references to the original setting may be made._

_Just PM me or add reviews for comments and the like. I do appreciate feedback from my readers. :D_

_Thanks a lot! _

_-Mona_


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